October 10, 2026 -- Day Ten of Joy: Exodus 18:8-9

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done to Israel, in that He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
Exodus 18:8-9 ESV
 
I must confess, after my last exploration of the word joy, the negative sense of it and how this the conflict between uncle and nephew points us to Jesus, I feel like I stumbled in these reflections. Today (four days later) my zeal for this project is renewed.
 
When Jethro is confronted with the goodness of the LORD, His deliverance of His people, which was promised four hundred years before, and now accomplished, he is filled with joy. Jethro is not an Israelite. Moses had married a foreign woman. So, Jethro needed to be brought up to speed on all that had taken place. No doubt as Moses told Jethro all that had happened, Moses himself was filled with awe and joy. The telling of it is contagious joy which then starts infecting Jethro. This joy spills over into blessing God. This rejoicing leads him to declare his firm faith in God Who delivers His people from all their enemies. Joy leads Jethro to bring a sacrifice of praise to God and to eat a fellowship meal with the leaders of God’s people.
 
In preparation for the last plague, the people of Israel put blood on the doorframes of their houses. The angel of death arrived that night and killed all the firstborn of Egypt. Anyone who didn’t have the blood of the lamb on the doorframe of their house lost their firstborn. Pharoah’s firstborn died. The lowliest slave woman’s firstborn died. The cost of God’s deliverance from slavery is blood.
 
In the New Testament, our deliverance from slavery to sin comes at the cost of Jesus’ blood. What the lamb’s blood in the Old Testament foreshadowed, the New Testament manifested. Jesus is the lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus’ blood is the final sacrifice. As New Testament Christians we celebrate the fact that no more blood, nor ever will be needed for us to approach God. Jesus is the full and complete evidence of all the good that the LORD has done for His people.
 
How has God blessed you recently? How have you seen His deliverance? Where has the goodness of Jesus been brilliant in your life? Share it. I have no doubt that will open a fountain of joy in your life. Perhaps even leading your listener to join you in rejoicing for all the good God has done.
 
Oh God of splendour and saving love, thank You for the rich salvation You have displayed in Jesus Christ. Thank You, God of Angel Armies, for the Holy Spirit Who seals this redemptive work to our hearts. Spirit of God, bring to mind the glorious works of God in my own life that as I review them and tell them to others, joy will flow from me to the praise and honour of Your Name. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/vz-FkqobgXY?si=l12R9jK8dAuD4yLc
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 9, 2026 -- Day Nine of Joy: Genesis 31:27

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre?”
Genesis 31:27 ESV
 
The word mirth is a translation of the Hebrew word joy. The English word mirth means laughter, pleasure and celebration. That is a great description of joy. Strangely, this first use of the word joy in the Bible is not a celebration, but an accusation. It is almost a threat, anger because of the possibility of joy that has been robbed by the actions of Jacob.
 
Perhaps you know the story. Jacob, whose name means liar or deceiver, worked for his uncle Laban for seven years so that he could marry the love of his life, Rachel. Laban himself was a trickster, and on the wedding night gave Jacob the older sister Leah instead of Rachel. Not sure how that could have been missed by Jacob. Guessing there was a clever use of veils and never unveiling the bride until, jolly with wine, Jacob bedded his new bride. Then he worked for another seven years to secure the hand of Rachel in marriage. What a mess.
 
Joy is absent because of deception.
Joy is absent because of the layers of lies.
Joy is absent because men and women refused to face up to the consequences of their actions before God Who is holy and true.
Joy is absent, in fact hostility is so inflamed, that the men must set up a heap of stones at a boundary point so that if either one of them crossed it with angry intent, God would judge between them.
 
It is an allegory, a depiction of God and His people. It clearly shows what could have been. No wonder Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV).
Joy is restored because Jesus bore away the punished of God’s sin.
Joy is restored and deceptions are atoned for, relationships can be healed in Christ.
Joy is restored because the consequences of human actions have been made right in Christ and believers can find a way forward, if they are in Christ.
Joy is restored so fully that a boundary, a dividing wall of hostility has been removed and believers can walk in true community.
 
A story of what was not, prepares the reader for the greater glory of Jesus’ work.
A story of what was not, makes the heart of the reader open to the work of the Holy Spirit to bring to the believer the riches of the storehouse of heaven.
 
Holy Father You are the foundation of joy for all who believe.
Holy Jesus You are the source of joy for all who trust in You.
Holy Spirit You are the deposit of joy, guarding it within us until the fullest, eternal expression of joy is ours in the new heavens and new earth. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/Ty8tw7ydxB4?si=yyit1dLytvH4ZrxE

 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 8, 2026 -- Day Eight of Joy: John 15:10-11

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:10-11 ESV
 
Why do I have to keep that law? Why does God demand obedience? I confess, I can easily lose focus. As I get older, my vision gets blurry. Carson Pue uses that experience as metaphor. Consider these words:
Refractive errors are an imperfection in the way the eye bends light. The spiritual
equivalent among Christian leaders seeking God’s vision is a faulty theology—not
being Christ-centred in their thinking but rather incorporating too many of the
world’s ways in defining the vision for their life. These refractive errors can almost
always be corrected with prescription lenses, and for the spiritual leader I would
suggest the corrective lens of the Bible to restore godly vision.
Carson Pue Mentoring Leaders. Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2005, page 105
 
What is affecting my joy? It is the fact that the world is influencing me far more than I realize. Worldliness, the vanity of it all, taints my vision. Peers pressure me to live my best life now. When the corrective lens of Scripture is applied, I see Jesus. Jesus, Who willingly, lovingly obeyed all that His Father commanded Him. It was not a matter of Jesus keeping God’s commands in the fearful hope that this would lead Him to be loved by God the Father. No! Think of this, O my soul! From before there was time, the Father loved the Son, and the Son loved the Father. When the Son took on human flesh, He willingly fulfilled the decree of His Father in heaven. Before the world was even created, the Father had elected to redeem a people unto Himself through the Beloved.
 
What is Jesus’ joy? Knowing that His great sacrifice of love in flesh would result in my being filled with His joy. Jesus’ joy is the only source of joy that could ever be, comprehensive, lasting, and continuous joy in me. He is infinite. His Father’s love is infinite. The Spirit Who sustains the joy of the LORD in me is infinite. Where else could I ever have such a well-spring of joy? (If you’re wondering, that was not rhetorical—I should shout, yeah, you too, you should shout in reply to that last question—No where else! Jesus is all my joy!)
 
Disobedience is like taking off the corrective lens of Scripture. Sin is taking my eyes off Jesus. Rebelliousness is to look away from Jesus which means I can’t act on the life-affirming, thankfulness expressing, commands. Such commands which would otherwise keep Jesus-my-joy in full view. The moment Jesus is restored, front and centre, in my vision, I realize it is His desire that my joy in Him be as full as is His joy in the Father. Obedience to God is not drudgery. Having taken hold of Jesus by faith, obedience is the pathway into experiencing the joy which the Holy Trinity has enjoyed throughout eternity. This passage, Jesus’ prayer, is His one hand outstretched to the Father in petition, while His other hand is reaching out to me, clasping mine, inviting me. Experience real joy!
 
Jesus, You are my joy. You are the joy of all who trust in You. Spirit of the Living God lift my eyes from my circumstances, from my out-of-focus desires, and fix my eyes on Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/xd28CiLalec?si=1J0QnK3BpJ2eaBWs

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 7, 2026 -- Day Seven of Joy: Luke 4:42-43 & Hebrews 12:1-2

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”  Luke 4:42-43
 
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV
 
My friend Melissa just sent me two pages of the artist Makoto Fujimura’s book, Art + Faith. He coined this compound word “Border-stalkers”. He describes them this way: “They cross tribal norms to see the whole, to navigate in between the walls erected to protect the tribes” (page 15). And then this “As border-stalkers, artists are often found at the margins of society, meandering into the borders of established thought patterns…These border-stalking voices are essential for a Kintsugi mode of theology that mends the broken fissures of our cultures and helps all of us to listen to the voice of the Spirit (page 46).
 
Who is Jesus? He is the ultimate border-stalker. He crossed from the norm of heaven to the sin-fractured tribal chaos of earth. He could have been content to stay in one place. But for the joy set before Him (that of reconciling men and women to God for the glory of God) He went to the forgotten, the marginalized, below-the-line people.
 
Joy. Jesus could endure suffering because of the weight of God’s glorious plan filled His imagination and His soul.
 
Joy. Jesus moved from town to town because good news is too much for any people in just one place. It can not be contained. That is joy—something which bursts like a fountain—welling up from the soul and drenching those around with everlasting (or ever-laughing) life.
 
Joy. Jesus spent time alone in desolate places. These were times of with His heavenly Father. Sweet communion.
 
Joy. Jesus knowing broken, spiteful, hurting, sinful, rebellious, scornful people would be put back together. Kintsugi is the art of mending with gold what is broken. Isn’t that the perfect illustration? Jesus’ work is the gold mending our brokenness so that the whole of what we are in Him is infinitely better than what we were. His gleaming brilliance has restored us.
 
Joy for the Christian is that Jesus is restoring us.
 
Joy for the Christian is the work of the Holy Spirit overcoming our fixation on our brokenness. The Spirit lifts our eyes so that we can see the perfectly refined righteousness of Christ applied, and still now being applied to us.
 
Joy for the Christian is having a heavenly Father Who knows full well all our sinfulness, knows the measure and destruction of everyone, and has measured out His penalty, in full measure, against Jesus.
 
Joy for the Christian is knowing Jesus’ sacrifice, perfect and complete, has granted Him the highest place of honour at the Father’s right hand.
 
Joy for the Christian is knowing Jesus is praying for us, so that we will be with Him in glory. Jesus is not angry at the fact He had to save us. Not embittered by the battle He’d undertaken. It was, as the Hebrews writer said it, “the joy set before Him”. The result is our joy-filled trust in Him is care-free.
 
Triune God, You are the joy of the believer. Father You are the source of joy; Jesus You are the foundation of joy; Spirit of the Living God You sustain the virtue of joy in my life. Triune God, my joy, from the fullest pleasures life might offer, I turn away, unfilled, looking to You in the full knowledge and expectation in You alone is found all bliss, gladness and life. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/2ar76T6OGoU?si=mS6O6illmEM2jmEO

October 6, 2026 -- Day Six of Joy: Nehemiah 8:10

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10 ESV
 
The people of God had just spent hours (yes, hours) standing outside, listening to the Word of the LORD as it was read and explained. Their response? They worshiped the Living God Who’d rescued them, sustained them, returned them from exile back into the land. There’d been much weeping as well, as people realized it was their sinfulness which ignited the appropriate wrath of God against the previous generation and their generation. The public reading of the Word restored the people’s confidence in the LORD’s goodness, His acts of mercy, and salvation.
 
How is the “joy of the LORD” your strength? Remember recent failures and sins and then immediately recognize the grace of God poured out on you in Christ. You are a son or a daughter of God, forgiven, reconciled to God by the blood of Christ! Let that ignite a glowing fire of joy in your soul. Read the Word of God and know joy is the spiritual response of these blessed by God. Joy is God’s gift to strengthen believers in times of trouble. Joy is contagious in the life of the believer winning other souls to Christ.
 
Father in heaven, thank You for the Bible. Thank You for the work of Your Holy Spirit, in each and every generation, preserving the Bible and using it, along with the witness of fishers of men, to kindle a living faith in Jesus. Triune God let the joy of knowing You be our strength. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/2ar76T6OGoU?si=Uxwx8QDVcUq3sINJ
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 5, 2026 -- Day Five of Joy: Psalm 126:5

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Those who sow in tears
   shall reap with shouts of joy!
Psalm 126:5 ESV
 
What you’re reading is the power of God to bring an awesome reversal to your life. Those who sow in tears are the people who stay faithful to God, even though so much has been stacked against them. They hold onto the promises of God the compassionate one, even when it seems His compassion has burned out and all that is left is ashes. What is the promised result? They will reap with shouts of joy! Not faint praise. Not a mumbling of thanks. But joy that reverberates from the brain to fill the lungs and expand the diaphragm so that enough air can be expelled as the words of joy spill out.
 
Sowing and reaping take time. What is planted on May 24th can’t be harvested, or reaped, on May 31st. Sowing seed takes time. Patient prayer as one waits for the germination and sprouting. Months can pass. It seems like nothing is happening. But what is sown for the glory of God will bring such a blessing. Funny, in the background, suddenly my music play list started the song, “Whate’er My God Ordains is Right”. Too true.
 
Oh God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, source of joy, sustainer of joy, and expectation of eternal joy, in this season of sowing let my faith rest on You. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/z-yJ3xMVUDI?si=kAzCg7bKnjun49FS
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 4, 2026 -- Day Four of Joy: Matthew 5:11-12

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

 
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. [1]
Matthew 5:11-12 ESV
 
Upon hearing someone who seemed to rarely read the Bible but stated the Sermon on the Mount was his favorite passage, Sinclair Ferguson remarked “I wonder if he’s actually read it”. Would it surprise you to know today’s text is part of the Sermon on the Mount? A believer in Jesus Christ will face persecution—everything from ridicule to imprisonment to death.
 
Jesus told His audience, rejoice, literally, choose joy when you are reviled, persecuted and people speak evil against you. That kind of opposition is a sign of your devotion to Jesus. It is a sign that the Father has, in fact, yanked you from the kingdom of darkness and placed you in the Kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of the Son He loves. The Spirit of the Living God is guarding your witness and even uses the push back you receive to witness to your oppressors.
 
Father in heaven thank You for the new life that is mine in Christ. Thank You that whatever I might suffer for the sake of Jesus is evidence of the great reward that is stored up for me in heaven. Spirit of God give me both the faith and courage to live out loud for Jesus. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/TxC16duiHvQ?si=roiYlWkJUe0vSgP8

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Mt 5:11–12.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 3, 2026 -- Day Three of Joy: James 1:2-3

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

How are joy and trials linked?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James1:2-3 ESV

Why trials? How are these linked to joy? This morning I was reading the article “When Leadership outpaces Formation: the challenge of function-driven leadership” (Faith Today. September/October 2026, page 42). Author Cathie Ostapchuk writes, “I learned early how to carry responsibility, but not how to tend to the soul carrying it”. What an amazing statement. Perhaps believers learn to count the trials of various kinds as joy precisely because the Spirit of God is using such circumstances to teach the soul to lean upon Him. Entirely upon Him and Him alone. Trials drive the child of God to the Spirit for the restoration of the soul.

This morning one of my prayer partners and I met for our regularly scheduled hour of coffee and prayer. Joey and I were speaking of how hard this season has been, for each of us, in our respective areas of work. Precisely because it was difficult, we had to pray more. Interestingly, we realized that because we knew we are “poor in spirit”, the testing of our faith brought us to our knees in utter reliance on God. We realized this explains why we saw the kind of fruit that would never have appeared in our lives if we’d been in a long season of ease. Steadfastness is the assurance that God’s got this. Steadfastness is the ability to put one foot in front of other, patiently persevering, especially in a time of hard slogging, because the Captain of Salvation both directs and sustains His people by the Spirit of God. We count it all joy because God is in the middle of all of this. He is doing what only God can do, which is to bring order out of chaos, living saints from dry bones. Count it all joy!

Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy Spirit three we Name You the Triune God of glory and the sole source of joy in the life of the believer. Thank You for the great gift of hindsight, whereby we can see the good You have produced through the various trials we have endured. Increase our faith and our courage Lord. Amen.

https://youtu.be/KU5ct0iY-Ds?si=-tefbrR4lBN3Ql2l

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 2, 2026 -- Day 2 of Joy -- Isaiah 12:3-4

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day:
                      “Give thanks to the Lord,
                        call upon his name,
                        make known his deeds among the peoples,
                        proclaim that his name is exalted.” [1]
                        Isaiah 12:3-4 ESV
 
Any commentator will tell you that the imagery of water is dramatic for the Jewish people who live in a hot, and often dry, country. To a parched man on a hot day, what could be more refreshing than a drink of water from the cool depths of the well? That is what Jesus is like to our parched souls. He is a cool drink of salvation for our parched and weary souls.
 
When it happens that you, unexpectedly, encounter this well in your greatest need, you’ll turn back and tell your friends, your family, your co-workers, all your fellow-travelers: “We’re saved! There’s water here!” That is our experience with Jesus!

Oh Jesus, living water for our thirsty souls, we proclaim Your Name is exalted. What Isaiah prophesied so long ago has come to pass, with joy we draw water from the wells of salvation. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/2yZVweZ2Cvg?si=HaU8Xdt6PMGq1Czh
 

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version

(Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Is 12:3–4.)
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

October 1, 2026 -- Psalm 16:11 -- Day One of Joy

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

You make known to me the path of life;
  in Your presence there is fullness of joy;
  at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11 ESV
 
Not that long ago a friend gave me a book to help me with my reading break. The book is meant to slow Christians down so that their busy pace of life doesn’t hinder the depths of their walk with God—our life’s true purpose. In that book was a wonderful challenge: spend thirty days praying to God your joy. As I thought about that, I challenged myself to think of texts that would fill out the picture of God as the source of joy, the sustainer of joy, and focus of the believer’s joy now and for eternity.
 
In Psalm 16 the writer asks God to be His refuge, and the source of good, while he is surrounded by enemies. But this last verse shows us that the psalmist doesn’t want to stay still and stuck. He will venture out into the hostile world aware that God is giving him renewed purpose and strength. He is determined to go out boldly on the path of life. More than this, as he journeys by faith he looks to heaven. He is an Old Testament author, which means he doesn’t fully understand Who will be at God’s right hand, but this much he does know the source of his joy is in the presence of God.
 
As New Testament Christians we know Jesus is at the Father’s right hand, seated in glory. Jesus is our rescue story. Jesus Who turned away God’s wrath against our sin, being punished in our place, so that our whole heart rejoices in the magnificent salvation that is ours in Christ. But the fullness of joy is sustained in us by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God binds us to Jesus; keeps us from wandering away, and bars against any fatal enemy’s attack the entrance to our hearts and minds. No wonder Christians are the people of joy!
 
Mighty God, joy of the believer’s heart, thank You for Jesus—Your Son, the Mediator—Who is seated at Your right hand. Spirit of God, thank You for revealing Jesus, our joy, to us. Amen

https://youtu.be/JGaGkOJnni4?si=xAiSp_VBHyuDAI-p

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 30, 2026 -- Psalm 51 -- Are you prepared?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have broken rejoice. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:8, 10 

Scripture reading: Psalm 51:1-19

A few weeks ago, I was visiting my family and attended church.  At the time of confession, the pastor read the Preparatory Exhortation for the Celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Some of you will recognize what that is. For those who do not recognize it, let me explain. In the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition, it was a common practice for the minister to read a form which called on the members of the congregation to make a thorough examination of their heart, attitude and relationships, the Sunday before the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. If there were any lingering sins which remained unconfessed or for which there had been no repentance, such persons were to go to the minister or their elder, seeking such counsel as would quiet their conscience or lead to the conversion of their lives. It was a beautiful practice.

As we’ve spent this month considering accountability, at home, or among a group of Christian friends, what is being suggested is not a new practice, but the restoration of a practice that has, in many circles, fallen into disuse. It is my hope and prayer, as we’ve journeyed together, that our faithful Father has by His Spirit stirred up your imagination and desire so that with renewed vigor and commitment you choose to walk in true community with your family unit, or with a few other believers. By doing this, you will then declare the praises of God Who has delivered you from blood guiltiness and restored you to the joy of our wondrous salvation.

Suggestions for prayer

Thank and praise God for His boundless grace as He has pursued you by His Spirit and brought you to the redeeming love of Jesus.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 29, 2026 -- Revelation 2:1-7 -- The Power of Jesus' Love

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.”” – Revelation 2:1 

Scripture reading: Revelation 2:1-7

The purpose of the thorough-going examinations of our heart, mind and attitudes, as we have been  engaged in, isn’t merely for the purpose of checking a box and moving on with our lives. The deepest desire behind all this searching, is to recover our first deep love for Jesus. The love of Jesus, poured out on us and in us, captures the hearts and motivates a response of zealous service.

The Scottish theologian Thomas Chalmers (1780 – 1847) described this love for Jesus as an expulsive love; [his highly influential work is called: “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection”, written in 1818.] As John described it in Revelation, it’s a wearisome task to toil, hate evil, and endure trials patiently. Hating evil will not keep Christians on the pathway to a fuller life in Christ, but it is the adoration of Jesus, Who holds the seven stars and walks among us, driving out earthly lusts and affections. The more we look at Jesus, seated on the throne of power in heaven, able to crown those who serve Him, conquering all who oppose Him and His people, the more we see Jesus as a treasure beyond anything the world could offer. Ah, what love fills the heart.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, hold the dear vision of Jesus, the Redeemer King before you. As you encourage one another, stirring the flame of the love for Jesus you hold in your hearts, greater will be the expulsive power which pushes out sin and temptation to make room in your hearts for Jesus.

Suggestions for prayer

If this reading seems too lofty, or your heart is not warmed by these expressions of affection for Jesus, pray that the Spirit will lead you to love Jesus with a profound and lasting love; if you know of fellow Christians who are struggling in their affection for our Savior, fervently pray that from the altar of God’s throne room, they will be reignited with the steadfast lovingkindness of God.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 28, 2026 -- I Thessalonians 4:1-18; II Thessalonians 3:13 -- No Compromise

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Scripture reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18

Have you been in any compromising situations recently? Sounds like an easy question to answer, doesn’t it? Inevitably there is push-back when I ask it. If you are hired to work 8 hours, but you spend 20 minutes of the time you’re clocked in on your favorite social media platform, you don’t give that time back to your boss. Or you’re asked to run an item to the school office, and instead of going quickly, you socialize with a friend or two along the way. Or you start eating candy and learn that it is something your buddy swiped from the store when the cashier wasn’t looking.

There are many potentially compromising situations that believers can find themselves in. It is tempting to ignore such compromises. You might reason, why sweat the small stuff? There is no such thing as small stuff. If you waste 20 minutes a day at work, by the end of a month you’ve cost your boss a full day’s pay. Worse even than that, 20 minutes can soon stretch out to forty, because there were no apparent consequences to your previous wasted time.

Dear brothers and sisters, using each day to its fullest is hard work. Believers know our lives are lived in the blink of an eye, and then there is the judgment seat of God. How you occupy yourself when you’re at work, school, leisure, church, or volunteering, matters. People watch you and notice if you are someone who readily compromises, or if you are a person of integrity.

Suggestions for prayer

First ask God to examine your attitude towards compromise and then ask the Spirit to reveal what areas in your life might be prone to compromises.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 27, 2026 -- I Peter 4:8-10; Ephesians 2:1-10 -- Giving of yourself to God

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…” – 1 Peter 4:8-10 

Scripture reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

Whenever our friend Mark visits, he always gets a “to do” list. He is talented at fixing things. Why mention this? Well, when offering your talents to God (the skills He has given you) it is good to be mindful of your own skills and your level of ability, as well as the needs that are “out there” all around you.

First give to the household of faith. You should know the people in your church well enough to know how to help them or bless them. If you are good at doing taxes, help someone who is struggling. If you are good at general chores, help a single-parent household get that done.

Second, teach your children to get involved as well. Studies estimate that Canadian teenagers spend just over five hours a day on their phone! Imagine if just a portion of that time were spent teaching our youth to bless others, by spending time with a lonely senior, writing a note of encouragement to someone who is sick, or to mow the lawn or trim the hedges of the family down the street that is experiencing sickness.

Third, ask each other, as a matter of accountability, how are you using the talents God has given you to be a blessing to others. You are His workmanship, His greatly gifted ambassador, sent to showcase Jesus’ love to others.

Fourth, while at church, ask God to show you how you (and your family) can possibly serve this week among church members, in your neighbourhood, or beyond.

Suggestions for prayer

Pray that God will reveal to you folks in your church, or your community, who need your help; ask the Spirit of God to give you the grace to offer help with such kindness that the recipients will be able to receive it.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 26, 2026 -- Matthew 6:20-23; 13:44-46 -- What do you treasure?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:20-21 

Scripture reading: Matthew 13:44-46

It is important to clear up any misunderstandings before diving into this passage. It seems that almost daily in Europe and the Middle East, someone is digging up a buried treasure in a field as roadwork begins. In ancient times, people buried their treasure to keep it from thieves and hide it from enemy invaders. So, if it had been the owner in this passage who buried the treasure, he would not have sold the field with the treasure in it.

When you put the two parables together, the Kingdom of Heaven, which is all the blessings and benefits conferred on the Christian, is found quite unexpectedly (the treasure in the field). But the Kingdom is also the fulfilment of the heart’s deepest longing and greatest search (like the pearl of greatest price). Whatever else one had before, paled in comparison to knowing Jesus and serving Him.

As a prison visiting pastor, I am aware there are many “short-cuts” people try so they can get a treasure they think will satisfy them and get them rich quickly. Gambling is a massive addiction: lotteries, video lottery terminals, casinos. Why mention this? The Kingdom of Heaven is not a scheme. God the Father invites you to lay down your earthly trusts, your lust to hoard and have the fleeting treasures of this earth, so you may gain the inexhaustible treasures of heaven. Dig up your life. Why are you putting hopes and confidence in schemes that cannot prosper? Today, freely give of your time, finances, and talents in service to Jesus.

Suggestions for prayer

Pray urgently for those who are trapped in a cycle of scheming to get earthly wealth; pray that the Spirit will show you if you too are secretly treasuring up worldly things.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 25, 2026 -- I Corinthians 16:1-2a; Malachi 3:6-18 -- Giving to God

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up…” – 1 Corinthians 16:1-2a 

Scripture reading: Malachi 3:6-18

Statistically, the average family of four spends about four and a half months paying off their Christmas debts. That family will be hard-pressed to fund their summer vacation. In Canada, Halloween is fast becoming the second most expensive holiday on the calendar. Why mention this? It is easy to get caught up in the culture of serving oneself and robbing God. When budgeting, consider giving God the tithe first, not what is left over.

As accountability partners, East to West, it is critical that believers challenge one another to wean themselves from worldliness. It is a great temptation to say, “I earned this money and I deserve to say how it is spent.” God made you. He gave you the gifts and talents to be able to work. He blessed you with a job. He sustains your health. No one can boast about his money or possessions because all that he has comes from the hand of the Father’s blessing. In fact, you recite this truth every time you recite the fourth request of the Lord’s Prayer: “Give us today our daily bread.”

As a Christian growing  in Christ, your finances must reflect that God is the top priority in life. Who in your life is challenging you to keep this promise? Instruct one another that giving to God means giving Him your time, skills, and your tithes. Speak openly with your children of your dedication to God as you give a tenth of your income in thanksgiving for all His blessings.

Suggestions for prayer

Bless God for the abundance He has given to you. Pray for those who are needy. Ask the Spirit of God to prompt you into greater acts of generosity.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 24, 2026 -- Psalm 119:73-80, Proverbs 12:2 -- Christians Must Examine One Another

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but a man of evil devices he condemns.” – Proverbs 12:2 

Scripture reading: Psalm 119:73-80

Who is the good man? The good man is one who has been made aware of his sinfulness, and need for cleansing by the blood of Jesus. A Christian is constantly aware of and meditates on this. This humbles him. Such a person receives favor and blessings from the LORD—he is adopted by the LORD. The Spirit of the LORD lives in him, restraining his sin. This restraint is urgently necessary. The whole book of Proverbs is written for believers, read by those instructed in the LORD, so that they will be warned, prepared to renounce sin, hate it, and return to God.
A man (or woman) of evil devices does not recognize thought patterns that are destructive and displeasing to God and instead, indulges in them. A human heart, where even a small foothold is yielded to sin, will lead to the establishment of headquarters where sin becomes a virus factory, sending infection into the thoughts and actions of that person’s life. Sin blinds the sinner to its motives, its self-aggrandizing, and its hardening effects. These streams of infection lead to rebellion against the ways of God.
Have you ever met a germophobe? You hand him a cookie, but he’ll refuse to eat it because you didn’t wash your hands before you picked it up. He is so disgusted by uncleanness, that he sanitizes a doorknob before handling it. Dear fellow believer, are you a sin-o-phobe? That is what is pictured here. Sin, even the thought of acting sinfully, ought to elicit from you a gut-level revulsion.

Suggestions for prayer

Does your own sin cause you gut-level revulsion? If not, pray that the Spirit of God will give you great sensitivity to the wretchedness of sin. If so, pray that you will help others to know their sin and know the greater mercy and compassion of God extended to them in Christ.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

September 23, 2026 -- Proverbs 12:1, Isaiah 66:1-6 -- Why all this attention to accountability?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” – Proverbs 12:1 

Scripture reading: Isaiah 66:1-6

The word discipline here means correction, or instruction. If you are held to account for your actions, it means someone is willing to admonish you from going down a wrong path that leads to death. The ability to receive admonition is closely connected to the knowledge of God.
Reproof is correction that leads to life. Here, like the first line of this proverb, we encounter someone who loves a friend enough to call out destructive behavior. But this time the criticism is despised. The one called out is stupid, a word rarely used in the Bible. It is found in Psalm 49. There, a stupid man, like the fool who will die, leaves his wealth to others.

Are you humble enough to listen when someone corrects you, even if the person who is correcting you doesn’t do so in a loving way? It is hard to get the courage to tell someone what they’re doing is wrong. Every one of us is called to be humble before Jesus. He alone is perfect and is our standard. We are called to be holy as He is holy. When we examine our lives, we are not comparing ourselves to someone who is slightly better than us, (or ourselves to someone we think is below our standards). No, we compare ourselves to Christ. That way, no one can boast. No one comes out of that comparison looking good. So, in gratitude overwhelmed by the mercies of God, receive correction and instruction, so that in all things Christ is adored.

Suggestions for prayer

Examine your heart before the Spirit of God, seeking to discern if you are truly humble and therefore teachable.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved

September 22, 2026 -- Colossians 3:16, Psalm 148:1-14 -- Called to Praise

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16 

Scripture reading: Psalm 148:1-14

After yesterday’s reflection, some of you might be thinking to yourself, “I’m doing okay with regards to what I look at.” The next important question is, what are you listening to? Any genre of music, in any age, must be examined. You must test the spirits to see if what you’re listening to is undermining or building you up in your faith? My mother recently moved into a new senior’s residence. The music played in the dining room and hallways is rock from the 1970s and ‘80s. It is so odd to see old men and women tapping their feet and nodding to the beat of what used to be radical music. Now it is just muzak. The words and the meaning behind the music we love and listen to frequently, will drill down into us.

Look at the soaring words of Psalm 148. There is the invitation for all of creation, creatures, angels, and all sea life of the great depths to worship the LORD. An aged aunt of mine has trouble remembering many things. However, when a hymn is played, you can see her remembering some of the words, or at least recognizing the tune. It is drawn from some place of memory, and preserves within her a love for her Savior that is otherwise hard to express.

Perhaps a good question to ask your Christian friends is: what music are you listening to? If it is secular, do you realize how much it influences you? If it is Christian music, that will influence you too.

Suggestions for prayer

In prayer make a commitment to God to dedicate your ears to hearing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs in thankfulness to God. Inquire of the Lord who among your circle of family and friends might need to be encouraged to evaluate their music choices.

September 21, 2026 -- Psalm 27:4; 101:1-8 -- To gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

“One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in His temple.” – Psalm 27:4 

Scripture reading: Psalm 101:1-8

A quick search online will reveal that your screen time affects your heart health, weight, sleep and social skills. As studies highlight the deleterious effects of cell phone usage, schools in Canada and the United States are experimenting with restricting their students’ use of cell phones during school hours. What social scientists and health experts are saying is wisdom from of old.

The Psalmist vowed he would not set before his eyes anything that is worthless and perverse. As Christians, living in an age where perversity is immediately available on any screen, we must ask if we are as scrupulous as the Psalmist? Who has the right to ask you how much time you’re spending on your phone, tablet or computer, and what it is that is consuming you?

The Psalmist will ponder, consider, and study the way that is blameless. He will adore the blameless One Who counsels the heart of Christians at night (Psalm 16:7). Do you realize that your attentiveness to screens may be an outrageous adoration? A good, faithful, accountability partner, spouse, elder, or Christian friend must be probing your actions, helping you to see where you are letting your guard down, and if you are honouring what is despicable. As believers, we  desire that those who walk in ways that are blameless will minister to us, and we to them. The inmates whom I serve often use this phrase: “Those who mess up, fess up” (confess). Isn’t it amazing that God hears our confessions, forgives us, and restores us in the way everlasting?!

Suggestions for prayer

If you have been careless in what you’re watching on news, social media, movies, as you doom-scroll, confess it. If you are striving to be blameless in this area, pray urgently that those around you will recognize the dangers of all the worthless and unclean images so readily available, confess this sin, and vow to be pure before the LORD.

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.